Michael Johnson (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to speak on this motion in the parliament today. At the outset, I want to bid a very warm welcome to the people of Queensland and of course to all the residents of the wonderful western suburbs in the Ryan electorate. I am pleased to speak in the parliament about an issue, health care and health policy, which is very important to my constituents. In general, it is a very important issue for the people of Queensland, particularly as they go to a state election. We all know in Queensland that health care, the management of health, is one of the top two or three issues in Queensland. Indeed, it might even be ranked as the top issue for the people of Queensland.

We know that managing health care is very challenging. It is very important to each and every Australian. Indeed, health care is literally a question of life and death for many Australians. We need a very significant minister to lead this area. In the case of the Howard government here in Canberra, we do have that with Tony Abbott. I am not quite sure whether the opposition spokesperson, the member for Lalor, would have the same capacities and talents as Mr Abbott. Let us see whether there is any guidance from the last election. The shadow spokesperson came up with a healthcare policy called Medicare Gold, if I recollect accurately. Thank goodness the people of Australia emphatically rejected that, because it would have taken us to the cusp of bankruptcy. It was very Whitlamesque in its nature.

In this parliament, the Howard government has the great responsibility of the health management of the nation. Since the Howard government came to office in 1996, annual spending on health care and aged care has more than doubled from $19 billion in 1995-96 to $48 billion in 2006-07. In 2006-07 the Australian government expenditure on health and aged care will be 22 per cent of total Australian government expenditure, compared with 15 per cent under the previous government in 1995-96—an enormous amount of taxpayers’ money, which reflects the significance of this area for the government.

In 2006-07, the Medicare Benefits Scheme will be $11.2 billion of the $48 billion. Supporting the states’ and territories’ hospital systems will be some $8.8 billion. Subsidising prescription medicine will be $7.1 billion. Assisting Australians with the cost of private health insurance will be some $3.3 billion. It is 2006 and I am still not quite sure whether the opposition supports the private health insurance scheme. I would be very interested to know that, because of course previously they rejected that policy.

There is $3.7 billion in veterans’ health care, and in the aged in community care sector some $7.8 billion is spent. It is a lot of taxpayers’ money, reflecting the Howard government’s priorities in the healthcare area. As the Minister for Health and Ageing says, clearly the Howard government is the best friend Medicare could ever have, and clearly the Howard government is the best friend that everyday Ryan residents using the Medicare system could ever hope to have as well.

I want to draw the House’s attention to the PBS. The PBS is the mechanism by which the Australian government ensures that as many Australians as possible can benefit from costly medicines and drugs that would be out of reach for most Australians. Some 2½ thousand different brands’ items are listed on the PBS. In 1995-96 the PBS expenditure was $2.5 billion. In 2006-07, PBS expenditure will be in excess of $7 billion. This represents almost a tripling of nominal expenditure.

We all know that the opposition clearly and without any capacity at all has a go at the government for its Medicare take-up. I want to refer to my electorate of Ryan, where the bulk-billing rate has gone up from 52 per cent to 56 per cent. I know that the opposition quite often has a go at the government in this area, but that reflects that this area of the health portfolio is no longer fertile ground for them. In Queensland it is up some 12.5 points to 74 per cent, as the minister for health referred to in question time today. I think it is very important for members of the government to continuously remind the electorate. As a Queensland based federal member I am going to continue to remind Queenslanders that it is time for them to give the Beattie government a real kick. (Time expired)

See this speech in context